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Comstock House
Comstock House is Zachary Hale Comstock's base of operations in Columbia in BioShock Infinite. History Comstock House is the executive estate in Columbia. Comstock established the residence as his principal workplace and central headquarters of The Founders. The structure, built upon the three heads of the Founding Fathers, is its own floating island, connected by tethers to Emporia. ''BioShock Infinite Bridge to Comstock House Booker DeWitt and Elizabeth arrive at Comstock as a ferocious lightningstorm brews around them. Just as Booker pulls the lever to reel Comstock House in towards the bridge, Songbird suddenly strikes and hurls him through the air. He lands through a high window in the belfry of a building overlooking Victory Square. When he regains consiousness, he finds Elizabeth begging the bird to spare Booker's life and offers her freedom instead. The Songbird takes off with Elizabeth and Booker heads after them. Back down on the ground, Booker runs desperately across the drawbridges after they lower even as lightning strikes the walkway. To his surprise, the summer storm quickly gives way to a wintery blizzard, eluding that DeWitt passed through a Tear while crossing the bridge, jumping ahead roughly half a year. Six smaller statues of the founding fathers, each holding their respective element, line the bridge as he approaches a series of stairs. An upset Elizabeth can be heard though several tears near the building's entrance. First Floor Comstock House is in shambles. There is debris scattered everywhere and most of the windows have been smashed allowing the ice and snow blow into the facility. The place has become a lunatic asylum known as The Hall of Our Lady in which the deeply disturbed inhabitants, their faces covered by masks of the Founding Fathers, wander aimlessly patrolled only by the Boys of Silence. Her Loving Embrace After passing a room with a large statue dedicated to Elizabeth, Booker enters a large room dominated by an elevator. Approaching the door marked "Restricted" will alert the Boy of Silence and cause the lunatics to attack. Hitting the intercom button, Booker demands to see Elizabeth. The gate remains sealed, but someone sends the elevator down to Booker. It becomes clear he'll have to go to the warden's office on the top floor to gain entrance past the locked door. Second Floor The Atrium The elevator stops at the second floor and Booker emerges in the atrium. Another Boy of Silence is close by; but this time Booker has the option of avoiding it with stealth. Elizabeth continues to speak prophetically over the PA system, though tears continue to reveal a different Elizabeth in great pain. A Kinetoscope is around the left corner, but the path continues to the right. Where We Lie In this room, medical procedures were performed on the inmates. A Tear reveals Comstock's incessant attempts to bend Elizabeth's will. Where We Weep This is where the dead are taken, prepared, and incinerated in the facilities furnace. The Voxophone The Value of Choice explains that any dissenters in Columbia are taken to Comstock House to have their mind 'pulled up from the roots," thus freeing them of the ability to commit sin. Where We Cleanse The bathing facilities for the institution. A Tear reveals Dr. Pettifog and Elizabeth's first meeting; he mentions that Booker has been gone for a long period, but Elizabeth remains undaunted. Where We Sleep The asylum's dormitory is a long narrow room with beds for about thirty one. The area is guarded by another Boy of Silence. A Tear reveals Dr. Pettifog, wary of Elizabeth's powers, discussing with Dr. Harrison Powell a plan to kill Elizabeth during a medical procedure and make it look like an accident. Having come nearly full circle, Booker finds himself back at the Atrium, but the stairs up to the third floor are blocked by guards, a Zealot of the Lady, and a pair of Automated Turrets. A Tear around the corner reveals that Elizabeth waited for Booker so long, she almost starved. Third Floor Where We Work In this series of rooms the inhabitants contribute to society by doing the mindless, menial labor of creating the faces of the Motorized Patriots, flags, and other patriotic memorabilia. A Tear reveals Dr. Pettifog speaking with Elizabeth and that, at that moment, six months had past since Elizabeth and Booker were separated. A Kinetescope is right at the entrance to the first room. In the last room, the collection of lunatics are presided over by another Boy of Silence, but a piece of Gear lies on the table behind him. A Voxophone can also be found in this room, behind the gear and the Boy of Silence. Where We Learn In this classroom, the lunatics were brainwashed and freed from their mind by use of propagandistic films with subliminal messages. Elizabeth professes over the PA system that she has long since given up on Booker, having been brainwashed by Comstock herself. The instrumental song Pachelbel Canon can be heard from a record as a special film intended for Booker plays. Through a broken one-way mirror, Booker proceeds on to the Security Center passing a Kinetoscope along the way. Security Center Lobby This area is in far better shape than the rest of the building. There's a Voxophone and a piece of Gear, but not much else on the lower area. Warden's Office Past the interrogation areas on the upper floor is the Warden's Office. This posh room is dominated by a viewing monitor tuned on to the first floor area. Booker flips the switch to open the security gate, but is immediately attacked. After dealing with the threat, he heads back down to the gate encountering little resistance along the way. The Operating Theater Booker passes through the security gate, walks down a short flight of stairs, and runs into Rosalind and Robert Lutece next to a Tear. After the duo and the Tear disappear, Booker continues into the destroyed Operating Theater, its roof having fallen in on itself. He spots Elizabeth across the room silhouetted in an open doorway. She offers her hand to Booker, when he takes it, he observes that she is now an old woman. Standing besides Elizabeth on a roof ledge, Booker observes Columbia attacking New York City in the year 1984, just like in his vision. Elizabeth states that her hope had passed away with time. When Booker claims that he was on his way to save her, she reveals that, in each alternate reality, Songbird always stops him. Elizabeth, resigned to her current fate, created the Tear that Booker ran through on the Bridge to Comstock House so that she could help Booker save her alternate past self. She gives him a coded message and then opens a Tear sending Booker back in time to 1912. From the hallway where Booker returned to, he heads into the Surgery room. Surgery Dr. Pettifog and Dr. Powell are beginning the operation to attach Elizabeth's "collar" without sedation; meanwhile, Comstock looks on from above. A pair of small Siphons prevent her from opening any Tears that might save her. Booker heads upstairs to disable the machines encountering armed guards, Automated Turrets, and a motorized patriot along the way. When Booker disables the Siphons, Elizabeth brings forth a twister that kills the two surgeons. Booker heads back down, frees Elizabeth from her spinal tap, ties up her corset, and gives her the card. After a brief discussion, Booker vows to kill Comstock for Elizabeth. Returning back upstairs, Elizabeth can now pick the locked door to Powell's office, giving the pair access to a gold bar, Voxophone, and an Infusion, and the gate to the elevator up to the Library. Library Booker and Elizabeth emerge in the foyer to the Comstock House Library, the actual library appears to be barricaded. Amidst the battlescarred room are useful collectibles. They venture out to board the ''Hand of the Prophet. Comstock House Roof The pair emerge on the top of Comstock House and fight their way through an onslaught of enemies. There is a small office area that can be entered once the fighting has completed that contains a Veni! Vidi! Vigor! machine and a safe. At the end of the roof, they come across a Founder's Hovercraft programmed to return to the airship. They commandeer the vehicle and finally leave Comstock House. Tactical Guide Boys of Silence section: For this section the player will be facing primarily meele enemies in large numbers. Weapons with knockback effects such as the Shotgun or Volleygun that also effect large areas are idea here. The player should also be aware that the Heater, Carbine, Hand-Cannon, and Pistol will be available on the level itself, and thus not necessary to bring in from Emporia. The Shotgun is like this as well, but not available until close to the level's end. The Devil's Kiss Vigor is ideal in this situation, especially if fully upgraded. A combination of Murder of Crows + Devils Kiss will occasionally take out an entire squad of lunatics, even on 1999 mode. When facing non-luntic enemies, there is a room on the first floor with water for increased Shock Jockey effectiveness. Because the non-lunatic enemies at this level can deal large amounts of damage quickly, Return to Sender is also a strong option. Blood to Salts and Storm will aid in the casting of Devil's Kiss, often leaving the player with a net neutral or even gain of salts and having dealt very high damage. Because of the effectiveness of the Vigors against the Lunatics, it is recommended that the player fight exclusively with Vigors in order to conserve ammunition. Vampire's Embrace is excellent for cleaning up the few lunatics that may have survived a Vigor blast, replenishing any health the player may have lost. Urgent Care or Bull Rush if the player has it are suggested for the pants slot, and the player should remember to switch to Extra Extra! whenever they spot a Voxophone should they have it. Surgery section: '''Because Elizabeth will not be around and the player will be facing almost exclusively heavy hitter enemies, this section can be one of the hardest in the game. Weapons with knockback effects such as the Shotgun and Volleygun are almost essential here, and a secondary high-damage weapon like the RPG will also be effective. Weapons that require accuracy such as the Sniper Rifle and Carbine are not recommended, as the player will often be too overwhelmed to use the sights. Unlike the previous section where the player is swarmed with weak enemies, the player will be unable to replenish their salts to an ideal degree. As such, Vigors should be chosen with care. Possession will be especially useful, as nearly every enemy is strong enough for its use. Return to Sender will be excellent for when the player is overwhelmed, and Devil's Kiss will be able to damage the otherwise powerful enemies. The combination of Shock Jockey traps and Undertow is also a great way to take out the player's powerful foes. Other stunning Vigors such as Murder of Crows and Bucking Bronco are almost useless, as the enemies will survive though the entire stun time and leave the player having wasted salts. Blood to Salts is once again a great choice for gear, but Spare the Rod becomes a superior hat to Storm. Bull Rush and Last Man Standing are good choices for pants, as is Deadly Lungers if combined with Spare the Rod. Vampire's Embrace and Overkill are strong boot choices. The player should also keep in mind that the Infusion found at the end of this section is the last one found in the game. '''Roof section: With Elizabeth back at the player's side, this section becomes easier then the previous one. The open nature of the section makes weapons such as the Sniper Rifle and Carbine highly effective, though a closer range weapon like the Shotgun should still be kept on the player at all times for emergencies. Undertow + Shock Jockey traps will work wonders in this section, as will Possession if the player is able to hit the Flak Cannoner enemy that is providing covering fire. Return to Sender will once again be a great way to get out of a bad situation, though other Vigors will be relatively ineffective. Rising Bloodlust will be an ideal choice hat, as the player will not be meeleing much. Blood to Salts remains the best shirt. Urgent Care is effective in the hit-and-hide environment, and Head Master will be useful for Carbine users especially when combined with Tunnel Vision. Inconsistancies: The level features many inconsistances and plot holes, most involving the tears thoughout the first section. *The sudden appearance of snow as Booker crosses bridge seems to suggest he passes though a tear, though the sounds of Elizabeth's screams thoughout the level suggest he is still in 1912. *When Elizabeth pulls Booker onto the ledge, the world around him changes. This strongly suggests he passes though a tear at this point, though their is no direct confirmation. The absence of sound followed by noise of the battle further strengthens this theory. *The existance of old Elizabeth Voxophones and PA system suggest the entire level takes place at some point after 1912. Gallery Bos_encounter.jpg|The first Boy of Silence encountered. Comstock House-Elizabeth?.jpg|There's something different about her. Comstock House-Some Future Advice.jpg|Advice from the future. Category:BioShock Infinite Locations